Zack
is a former member of Azami's Beat Rider team (Team Severe Beat in a novel) and the second leader of Team Baron who stepped into the position following Kaito's departure from the team. Kaito later gave Zack a mass-produced Sengoku Driver, which allowed Zack to transform into , using his own personal Kurumi Lockseed. History Zack's past before he became a dancer was unknown. He was seen being beaten up by a few thugs before being saved by Azami. She taught him dancing and invited him to join her dance team, where her brother Peko was also a member of. Later, in 2011, Kaito Kumon took over Azami's dancing team, forming Team Baron. Zack became one of Team Baron's top dancers, and one of Kaito's most devoted followers, developing a cocky attitude in the process towards other Beat Rider teams. Zack quickly befriended fellow Team Baron dancer Peko, and the two formed a habit of helping Team Baron to cheat in the Inves games, typically by using a slingshot to cause their enemies to drop their Lockseeds and lose control over their Inves, thereby losing the battle. While this strategy initially worked, Team Baron's leader, Kaito Kumon, was furious upon discovering their cheating ways, declaring it humiliating towards him as he destroyed the slingshot. Despite being discovered, Zack and Peko remained with Team Baron. As Team Gaim tries to convince the Beat Riders to participate in their dance event, in order to help convince Zawame City they were not responsible for the Inves invasion, most of them denied the offer thanks to Kaito's disinterest. After they left, Peko reveals his purpose of joining Team Baron, that he had a genuine love of dancing, which prompts Kaito to quit the team, relinquishing leadership to Zack as well as giving him the Sengoku Driver he had stolen from Ryoma Sengoku. Later, Team Baron went to Team Gaim's garage to participate the event, also telling them that Kaito quit their team. Before the event could start, Oren arrives to crash the event. While Gaim fights Bravo and the Inves, Mitsuzane is about to transform, but Zack stops him as he tells him that the dance is also theirs. Using the Kurumi Lockseed, Zack transforms into Armored Rider Knuckle and assists Gaim. While fighting, the rest of the remaining Beat Riders joins in the event as they are about to dance. Despite the interference of Oren and Hideyasu Jonouchi, the event is a success, and the blame lifted off the Beat Rider's shoulders. Later, Knuckle fought the two Inves in Zawame. After defeating them, Zack and Peko notice the injured citizens have Helheim's plants growing from their wounds, making the citizens panic and forcing them to back off. Oren arrives along with Hideyasu and still mocks the Beat Riders until three Inves appears. Later, he and his team were on a dancing join, they saw "Kaito" (who is actually Shapool), and offers to have him back on their team, with Shapool agreeing. However, Zack and his team finds "Kaito" weird and changed into a happy man all the sudden, something Kouta and Mai doesn't expect to see "Kaito" acting like that. Kouta warned Zack not to trust "Kaito" yet, if he turns out to be an impostor. When Shapool's identity is exposed when he uses Kaito's Sengoku Driver and is suddenly attacked by Oren out of fear. Zack fights Oren in Shapool's place, enabling Mai and Shapool to escape. At the same time the real Kaito found Shapool and dragged him into an abandoned place and revealed the true agenda of Shapool's butler Alfred, to kill him and take over his family fortune. With Kaito and Shapool managing to escape from Alfred due to the prototype Dragon Fruits Energy Lockseed's side effect affecting Alfred. Later, Zack and his team are attacked by Alfred, leaving Peko to send Kaito a message to bring Shapool, while using Zack as a hostage to make sure if Kaito didn't bring Shapool, Zack will be killed. Once Kaito arrived, he rescued Zack in an abandoned factory, with Shapool hiding safelywith Peko., Zack takes a hiding place to recover from the battle to heal from his injuries, until Baron defeats Tyrant and ends up being aided by Peko to the hospital. At the same time Shapool finally goes home, at peace and thanks Kaito for inspiring him to train himself to become stronger. Mai later informs the Beat Riders about Yggdrasill's plan as she proposes the Beat Riders reveal it to the public. However, a horde of Inves appears, forcing Kouta, Zack and Mitsuzane to fight them. Unknown to him and his friends, it was Mitsuzane's doing on protecting Yggdrasill's secrets from bankruptcy, and framed Kouta to think he "hurt" Mai's feelings. Zack joins Kaito to fight Demushu, however the Over Lord escaped from them. Later, they witness the Kurokage Troopers guarding Zawame from Inves, while lamering that they've been using a Beat Riders as their guinea pigs, much to Zack's anger, but Kaito calms him down to focus on the bigger threat first. While wondering in Zawame, they were shocked to see Yggdrasill Tower being covered by Helheim's plants as Inves started to appear from the tower. They then join Marika to fight an army of Inves as Hideyasu and Oren join them as well. After the Inves were defeated, Demushu appears and overpowers the Riders with his new evolved form. Struggle to fight the Over Lord, Kouta appears as he defeats Demushu with his new Kiwami Arms. Before Mitsuzane's arrival and Kaito's leaving to a still opened Druper with Kouta, Zack was given a Suika Lockseed by Kaito, which is later used by Gridon. Fed up with Redyue's announcement on her species' invasion and going to used his people for a sacrifice, Zack goes to the Over Lord with Jonouchi and Oren accompanies him until they find and rescue civilians attacked and caught by an Inves army. When Kouta discovers Mitsuzane's true colors to the Beat Riders, Zack becomes enraged to hear, outraged he had been tricked the whole time, but Kouta and Mai proves that Mitsuzane is misguided into too many wrong paths all the time as his brother, Takatora, didn't watch over carefully and wishes if they met Kouta at their younger hoods, Mitsuzane wouldn't be misguided. Kaito also warned Kouta if they didn't saved Mitsuzane now from a misguidements, he'll be nothing more than a tragic monster who always walk down to a wrong path. Zack later aids Kouta in fighting Duke, but was easily defeated by the New Generation Rider. With the interference of Baron, he and Gaim able to ambushes Ryoma into their custody, then informed about the professor's plan. Zack and the others does not appear to trust Ryoma, further exacerbated by Yoko's distrust of him. Despite this, left with little choice Zack joins in with the other Armored Riders and follow Ryoma's plan. Receiving the Suika Lockseed from Kaito, he changes into Suika Arms and along with Baron and Marika, they successfully hold of the Suika Arms and Tulip Hoppers for Kouta and Ryoma to enter the enemy's base. After Kaito destroys the machine that Redyue and Mitsuzane stole the life force from each people, Zack and Yoko evacuate everyone out of the room while Kaito searches for Kouta. After discovering Kaito's transformation into Lord Baron, Zack faces a conflict of loyalties, unable to decide if he should help his friends or aid his once-leader in conquest. In the heat of battle, Zack seemingly makes his decision to aid Kaito by helping Yoko dispose of Gridon, destroying Jonouchi's Lockseed and Sengoku Driver in the process. After Kouta returns to battle Kaito, Zack interrupts their battle, transforming into Knuckle to battle Kouta in his Kiwami Arms form. During the battle, Zack discretely tells Kouta to retreat for the time being, revealing his true loyalties and ulterior motives. Later, Zack passes along a note to Peko, telling him to deliver it to Oren. At Drupers, Peko delivers Zack's message to Oren, who creates a miniature bomb at his request, which he later picks up while telling them he will be the one to stop Kaito. Sometime later, Zack meets with Yoko and Kaito atop a building in the abandoned Zawame, with Zack secretly planting the bomb while walking away holding the detonator. Unfortunately, Yoko notices Zack's suspicious movement, and acts just in time to move Kaito out of the bomb's blast radius, taking the brunt of the explosion herself and getting tossed to the ground below. Back atop the building, Kaito and Zack transform to battle, resulting in Zack being brutally defeated, his Driver and Lockseed damaged beyond further use. Zack defiantly tells Kaito that the others will still come after him, with Kaito acknowledging him before he faints. Sometime after Kaito's death, upon the disappearance of Helheim and the restoration of Zawame, he is eventually found by Peko and sent to hospital to heal his injuries. He is later visited by Peko's sister Azami. 3 months later since the disappearance of Helheim, Zack watches happily as the united Beat Rider teams dance to an audience of the reclaimed Zawame City, standing witeh the help of a crutch. He catches the still-despondant Mitsuzane watching from afar, and begs the former Gaim member to dance with them again, although Mitsuzane declines. Then after his legs are healed for 4 months, Zack and his Beat Riders team sees Mitsuzane again and try to convince him to join with them again but he refuses. He helps Takatora, Oren and Jonouchi in fighting a Grasshopper Monster that Kougane (as Kamen Rider Jam) summoned, but they are powerless to defeat the monster as they are no longer Armored Riders. After Kougane's defeat, Zack and the rest of his fellow former Armored Riders reunite with Mitsuzane. Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Drive & Gaim: Movie War Full Throttle He was seen with Jonouchi, Oren, and Bando at Drupers, for a collaboration between Charmant and Drupers, until Megahex invades Earth, in a same time Kouta try to prevent it, but was defeated and his Kiwami Lockseed was stolen. At Team Gaim's garage, Takatora brought an unconscious, yet depowered Mitsuzane into their care, and informed about Megahex and the revival of Ryoma. It was then, one of Mai's godlike remains gave a Helheim Fruit to Takatora, in a same time Mitsuzane gave the Sengoku Driver he got from the Mecha Kurokage he destroyed, returning Takatora into Zangetsu once again. After Megahex is defeated, Zack and the others wants to hang out with Kouta and Mai again, before their departure back to Planet Helheim. Kamen Rider Gaim Gaiden: Kamen Rider Knuckle One year since Kaito's death, Zack decides to travel to New York and leaves Team Baron's leadership to Peko. However, he is surprised of being informed of the existence of Neo Baron by a fellow dancer in New York. He called Jonouchi about the Neo Baron and shocked to learned that Shura, a former member of Team Baron that Kaito previously exiled, was behind it. Zack returned to Zawame City to set things right and is approached by Peko's sister that Peko is missing. Zack arrives and is shocked to see Peko is with Shura and demands Shura to return Peko to him. Shura challenges Zack to win against one of his competitors, but Peko doesn't want to return. Being ambushed, Oren and Jonouchi come to rescue Zack. During their escape, Zack and Jonouchi are confronted by Shura's Kurokage Troopers. But luck is on their side as Mitsuzane arrives as Ryugen. Mitsuzane gives Zack a new Sengoku Driver, packed with a Kurumi Lockseed and a new Marron Energy Lockseed. Despite gaining an Energy Lockseed, Zack is unable to use it due to Kaito's Genesis Driver already being damaged. Zack fights against Shura, but is overpowered as the fight becomes four on one when Zack is able to overpower Shura due to Zack's fighting experience. Peko gives Zack the Genesis Core from Kaito's destroyed Genesis Driver allowing Zack to assume his Jimber Arms ultimate form, the Jimber Marron Arms, and he defeats Shura before collapsing in Peko and Azami's arms. In the credits of the Gaiden on a certain unknown day at night, Zack has recovered from his injuries, and is shown wearing his Team Baron uniform once again. He talks to Kaito’s spirit, asking him why he was spared during their final encounter with each other. Eventually Zack danced with him in the night before Kaito disappears, leaving Zack dancing alone. Personality Zack serves as second-in-command in Kaito's absence. He is an excellent dancer and loyal to Kaito when his leader was human. While in an Inves Game, he and Peko set up a cheat in order to make Team Baron the winner by making the opponent's Inves go berserk. After being discovered by Kaito however, Zack never dared to cheat again. When Kaito quits Team Baron so that he can fight the Yggdrasill Corporation and not to put his teammates in danger, he gives Zack the Team's leadership and gives him a Sengoku Driver. When Oren is about to disrupt the Beat Riders' stage performance, Zack shows his heroic side for the first time in the series by risking himself to protect the Beat Rider dancers via becoming Kamen Rider Knuckle and assisting Gaim. Video Game appearances Kamen Rider Battle: Ganbarizing Knuckle is among the vast majority of Kamen Riders that are avaliable in this arcade game. Notably, he is shown to use the Legend Rider Lockseed to assume Kuuga Arms. Arms Like with the other Armored Riders, Kamen Rider Knuckle's forms are called . His Sengoku Driver plays American rock & roll music and emits a guitar riff sound before every transformation, while his personal Lockseeds are styled in pure English with a "Mr. Adjective/Noun" theme. By pressing the Sengoku Driver's Cutting Blade down on the Lockseed after transforming from one to three times, Knuckle can activate one of three finishing moves based on his current Arms form: , , or . is Knuckle's default form undersuit, which is briefly seen during Knuckle's transformation sequence before the Armor Part attaches or when he changes Arms. However, this form is completely vulnerable to any incoming attacks when shot at directly in the suit rather than at the Arms that is descending down on the Rider. Unlike the original Armored Riders, Knuckle's Ride Wear isn't identifiable through his Sengoku Driver's faceplate due to using a mass-produced Sengoku Driver. As a result, the Rider Indicator is blank. However, it can be replaced with extensions such as the Genesis Core or Senyo Joint. Blank Faceplate.png|Blank Rider Indicator - Kurumi= Kurumi Arms Rider Statistics: *'Rider Height': 204 cm *'Rider Weight': 107 kg Ability Parameters: *'Punching Power': 8.1 t *'Kicking Power': 9 t *'Maximum Jump Height': 26 m *'Maximum Running Speed': 100 m per 5.9 seconds is Knuckle's walnut-based default form. Accessed through the Kurumi Lockseed, this form bears the helmet with the visor. This form debuts in episode 18. While assuming Kurumi Arms, Knuckle dons the and his Arms Weapon is the Kurumi Bombers. In this form, Knuckle's offensive stats are lower than Gridon's, but he has better agility stats, jumping higher and running faster than the aforementioned Rider. Zack loses access to Kurumi Arms in a battle against Kaito, resulting in the destruction of his Kurumi Lockseed and Sengoku Driver. He later regains his ability to transform after receiving a new Sengoku Driver and Kurumi Lockseed from Mitsuzane. This Arms' finisher has three variations depending on which function Knuckle activates from his Sengoku Driver. *Squash: Knuckle jumps into the air while golden energy surrounds his right foot that releases walnut-shaped energy as he strikes the target with a powerful front kick. *Au Lait: When Knuckle activates the Au Lait function, he jumps into the air as a projection of a walnut covers him before he strikes the target with a super powered punch. Alternatively, Knuckle launches an average sized energy shaped-like walnuts at the target. *Sparking: Knuckle punches in the air, creating giant energy spheres shaped like walnuts at the target. Appearances: Gaim Episodes 18, 20, Gaim Gaiden: Baron, Gaim 21, 25, 26, 30-32, 34, Gaim 38-40, 42, 44, 45, Gaim Gaiden: Knuckle, Final Stage - Jimber Marron= Jimber Marron Arms is Knuckle's walnut/chestnut-based fusion form that is accessed through the simultaneous use of the Kurumi Lockseed and Marron Energy Lockseed. While assuming Jimber Marron Arms, Knuckle dons the and his Arms Weapon is the Marron Bombers. This Arms' finisher has three variations depending on which function Knuckle activates from his Sengoku Driver. *Squash: Knuckle jumps up and fires the Marron Bombers' spikes at the enemy, shedding off their shells before landing two fiery punches at once. *Au Lait: Knuckle uses an Au Lait function, and he charges the "peeled" Marron Bombers with flames and delivers an explosive punching attack. This form is exclusive to Kamen Rider Gaim Gaiden: Kamen Rider Knuckle. - Other= These Arms are normally used by a different Armored Rider. With the exception of Suika Arms, all of these forms are exclusive to Kamen Rider Battle: Ganbarizing. |-| 2= is Knuckle's watermelon-based mecha form. Accessed through the Suika Lockseed, this form bears the helmet with an unspecified visor. This form debuts in episode 39. While assuming Suika Arms, Knuckle dons the and his Arms Weapon is a pair of boxing gloves reminiscent of his Kurumi Bombers created from energy watermelons. This form can also interchange into three modes. * : Suika Arms' warrior mode, which equips Knuckle with its boxing glove weapons for combat. * : Suika Arms' watermelon mode, which encases Knuckle's entire body to use either for offensive/defensive purposes or as a mode of transportation. * : Suika Arms' flight mode, which allows Knuckle to fire seed-like bullets from the fingertips. Suika Arms is the most massive Arms Change, and it shows by having the most monstrous punching and kicking power once in Yoroi Mode. Consequentially, it also has the worst jumping height in all of Rider history, and any Rider can practically outrun it. Though this is rendered moot thanks to Odama Mode and Gyro Mode. Also, after a utilization, the Suika Lockseed's color becomes grey, indicating that its energy is low and needs time to recharge back to its green color before it can be used again. Appearances: Gaim Episodes 39, 40 - Donguri= Donguri Arms is Knuckle's acorn-based form. Accessed through the Donguri Lockseed (reserved for Gridon), this form bears the helmet with the visor. Donguri Arms is normally used by Kamen Rider Gridon. While assuming Donguri Arms, Knuckle dons the and his Arms Weapon is the Donkachi. - Matsubokkuri= Matsubokkuri Arms is Knuckle's pinecone-based armored Japanese Ashigaru form. Accessed through the Matsubokkuri Lockseed (reserved for Kurokage), this form bears the helmet with the visor. Matsubokkuri Arms is normally used by Kamen Rider Kurokage. While assuming Matsubokkuri Arms, Knuckle dons the and his Arms Weapon is the Kagematsu. }} - Rider= The are forms based on past Kamen Riders. All of these forms are exclusive to Kamen Rider Battle: Ganbarizing. is a Legend Rider Arms based on Kamen Rider Kuuga's Mighty Form that is accessed through the Kuuga Lockseed. While assuming Kuuga Arms, Knuckle dons the and he can utilize pyrokinetic melee attacks during finishers instead of possessing an Arms Weapon. }} }} Equipment Devices *Sengoku Driver - Transformation device **Removable slots for additional Lockseeds: ***Genesis Core - Essential to access a Jimber Arms *Lockseeds - Gives access to Knuckle's Arms changes, depending on which lock is used Weapons *Arms Weapons **Kurumi Bombers - Knuckle Kurumi Arms' personal weapons **Unnamed gloves - Knuckle Suika Arms' personal weapons in Yoroi Mode **Kagematsu - Knuckle Matsubokkuri Arms' personal weapon **Donkachi - Knuckle Donguri Arms' personal weapon **Marron Bombers - Knuckle Jimber Marron Arms' personal weapon Behind the Scenes Portrayal Zack is portrayed by . As Kamen Rider Knuckle, his suit actor is , who was also the suit actor for Kamen Rider Ryugen, Demushu and the Byakko Inves. Notes *Unlike other Armored Riders, Knuckle's Sengoku Driver does not have a Rider Indicator on it due to it being a generic mass-production type. Knuckle was originally planned to have his own Rider Indicator, although this was scrapped. *Kamen Rider Knuckle's arms and legs are identical to that of Kurokage while his helmet is similar to Gridon's, fitting as both Riders were formerly allied to Baron and used nut-based Lockseeds. **His Jimber Form on the other hand, is an anagram of the primary Energy Lockseed use of Jimber forms, used by Gaim mostly, and the difference of not having a Sonic Arrow, instead having his own weapon like the Armored Riders, similar to Kurokage Shin. *Zack is presently one of two Riders whose full name is unknown, the other being Sid. **However, Peko, whose full name is also unknown, also becomes a Rider in the series movie. *Zack shares similarities to the current Secondary Heisei Rider Phase 2 from the two earliest Heisei Kamen Rider Phase 2 series: **Like Ryu Terui, both star in their side stories after the series' second appearance of respective Movie Wars. **Like Shintaro Goto, both are originally anti-heroic normal people who then become heroic Riders, succeeding their respective predecessors. Goto is entrusted by Akira Date to inherit a complete version of Birth, while Zack is entrusted by Kaito to be the leader of Team Baron. *Zack was initially planned to die in Episode 45. The actor who played Zack, Gaku Matsuda, revealed that Zack was originally supposed to die to Kaito. However, when he received the script for Episode 46, he was overjoyed that Zack's fate was changed to be alive due to the character's overwhelming popularity.http://ameblo.jp/8739taki/entry-11928009803.html *Knuckle is the second Armored Rider to use all three of the Sengoku Driver's finishing attack functions (Squash, Au Lait, and Sparking) in one form, with the first being Armored Rider Baron. *Zack is the only Armored Rider that did not make his Rider debut in the Beat Rider Saga. He is also the only Armored Rider that made his debut after the four New Generation Riders made their debuts. *Despite the fact his hands are covered in gigantic metal fists, Knuckle is still able to grasp and throw things while equipped with the Kurumi Bombers, such as when he handed off a Suika Lockseed to Jonouchi. Should Knuckle need to grip anything with full dexterity, he is seen without the Kurumi Bombers attached to his hands. *Knuckle's Kurumi Lockseed is currently the only known plus-grade Lockseed, being ranked at C+. *Knuckle is the only Armored Rider to perform a Rider Punch as a finisher. *Zack is the second Rider to utilize the Suika Arms properly on his first use. The first one was Kaito, who was also a Rider from Team Baron. *In episode 3, when Kaito transformed into Baron for the first time, Zack shocks and screams "Eh!? Banana-Bana-Banana!?", followed by Kaito saying "Baron da!", meaning "I'm Baron!". This scene was made as a running gag by both Zack and Kaito's actors in various stage shows whenever Yutaka Kobayashi was about to reenact Kaito's transformation scene, causing to break his fourth wall. *Zack is the second (and at the moment, the only other) Armored Rider to use a Jimber Arms form, also the fourth Rider (fifth if Mitsuzane counts who became the second Zangetsu Shin after his brother's "demise") in the TV series to use an Energy Lockseed. He is also the third Rider from Team Baron to use an Energy Lockseed, following his teammates Kaito and Peko (alternate universe only). *The Marron Bombers gauntlets in their second mode are re-painted and modified Gori Bagoon gauntlet props recycled from Kamen Rider OOO. *Following Mitsuzane, Zack is a final Armored Rider throughout the series, which is already called him in the movie of Gaim Gaiden. Legend Rider Lockseeds *The following Legend Rider Lockseeds are styled for Knuckle, as well as Bravo: **X - "Mr. Kaizorg!" **Amazon - "Mr. Wildman!" **Faiz - "Mr. Justifaiz!" **New Den-O - "Mr. Countdown!" **Beast - "Mr. Mayonnaise!" Appearances *''Kamen Rider Gaim'' **1-6, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18-21, 25, 26, 28, 30-40, 42, 44-47 *''Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Gaim & Wizard: The Fateful Sengoku Movie Battle'' **''Kamen Rider Gaim: Sengoku Battle Royale'' *''Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Drive & Gaim: Movie War Full Throttle'' *''Kamen Rider Gaim Gaiden'' **''Kamen Rider Gaim Gaiden: Kamen Rider Baron'' **''Kamen Rider Gaim Gaiden: Kamen Rider Knuckle'' References ru:Зак Category:Gaim Characters Category:Allies Category:Beat Riders Category:Antiheroes Category:Heroes Category:Gaim Riders Category:Neo-Heisei Era Riders Category:Heisei Era Riders